Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

SIN

B ones answers the phone with a groan, "Seriously, man? I'm inside a tight pussy. Can it not wait?"

I shake my head as if he can see me, which, of course, he can't. "No, it can't. I need you at the penthouse."

I disconnect the call without confirmation he's on his way because I know he'll cut his fucking short and come to me. It's how our friendship works. I help him and he helps me when I need it. Normally, it's me helping him, so I'm overdue with this one.

Twenty minutes later, he's walking through my door. He's one of the few people that has access to my penthouse. I trust him that much. He and Zade are the only friends I have that I know will always have my back. Zade is great if you need legal help, but I can't imagine him killing anyone unless it involved Amira. However, if it comes down to it, he can get things done without dirtying his hands.

"Asshole," Bones gripes as he plops down on the chair on the other side of my coffee table.

I roll my eyes. "Apparently, she saw her family get murdered by men. I don't know how many, and they've been after since. She's been on the run for years."

He arches an eyebrow. "Interesting."

I sigh and continue, "She thought you were with them because of your tats."

Bones holds his hands up trying to convince me he's not a threat, "Hey man, it's not anybody from my family. I'd know."

Rolling my eyes at him, I speak the truth. "I know that. You are all a bunch of assholes, but I don't see you hunting a woman like this."

He grins with a devious expression, "Only if I was going to fuck her. And even I would get bored with that shit well before a year."

The Bonetti's are not good guys by any stretch of the imagination. And if necessary, they will kill a woman the same way they would a man, but it's not something that happens often. He owes me for everything I've risked for him, so I know if he was after her, he'd let it go even if it meant the wrath of his father.

Kierra walks into the room wearing one of my oversized t-shirts which falls almost to her knee, which is a good fucking thing because after tonight I've grown tired of other men looking at what's mine. Jealousy has never been an issue for me, but it is with her. I want to kill any man even thinking about her tight pussy, Bones included.

She sits beside me, looking down at her lap, appearing to still be afraid of him.

"Kierra, right?"

She glances at me like she's seeking permission to speak to him. The pride in my chest swells as I nod to her, "Speak freely, baby girl."

I put my arm around her and hold her tightly because even though I've assured her he won't hurt her, I can still tell she's afraid of him. "Yes," she says in a small voice.

"You told Sin the men had tattoos. Can you describe them?"

Kierra closes her eyes like she's taking herself back to that awful day. "It was a red heart with thorns on it."

She shivers like the memory is as terrible as I imagine it is, "With a silver dagger through it. I saw two men, and they both had the same tattoo."

Bones looks at me with concern. "Bloody Valentine. You need to get Zade here immediately."

I call him and tell him he needs to get over here, but I'm confused. What kind of beef would an accountant have with a gang as violent as Bloody Valentine? Zade worked as their lawyer for years. And I don't need Bones to speak a single word to know he's thinking the same thing I am. This is really fucking bad.

The excitement from both women is palpable when Zade and Amira enter the room. They both squeal and run to each other. It's interesting, and it makes me wonder if they knew each other prior to the auction. Regardless, it makes me happy to see Kierra so damn elated. She likely doesn't have many friends since she's been on the run.

"Ladies, give us the room, please, so we can talk."

Like two fucking brats in a pod, they both place their hands on their hips in defiance. "Why?" They whine in unison.

I narrow my gaze at Kierra, but it's Zade that speaks first. "Because you were told to. Behave. Trust me when I say Sin has plenty of things here to spank you with."

Bones looks on with amusement as Amira bites, "Yes, Daddy," and hooks her arm with Kierra's and they head off down the hall.

I arch my eyebrow at Zade. "A little bratty?"

He laughs, "A lot. And good news for you. Apparently, she's been giving your brat lessons."

I file that away to be dealt with later because it will be, but right now I need to make sure she's safe before I spank the hell out of her.

"Bloody Valentine. Apparently, she walked in to find them killing her family and they've been after her ever since."

"Oh shit," he says, and both Bones and I nod in agreement. "What can you tell us?"

He shrugs. "I can tell you about a little thing we call attorney-client privilege. Maybe you've heard of it?"

I glare at him. "I'm not asking you to fucking testify in court, asshole. If I don't get your help in time, I might lose her. Permanently. You know damn well I'd violate every damn oath if you needed help with Amira."

He rolls his eyes. "It's not an oath."

"Whatever the fuck it is, toss it out, because I need your fucking help."

Zade pinches the bridge of his nose and groans, "Alright. I don't work for them currently. About three years ago, they needed money, so they started taking hits. I would bet that's where your girl's family comes in. They are still involved in gang activity, but that's where most of their funds come from now. Who were her parents?"

Bones answers since he dug up background information for me, "Dorothy and Thomas Carter. Thomas was an accountant."

Zade breathes out a long breath, "Oh man yeah, I know who Thomas Carter is and your girl may be innocent, but he was not."

I wait for him to continue, and he does. "Thomas was a thief. His entire client list were wealthy men, mostly. He got greedy and started lying about investments and stealing money. Before he died, and yes, I knew about it, he had about five hits taken out on him. It was only a matter of time until someone got him and his family."

He scratches his brow like he's thinking, "The hit likely includes your girl and won't be complete until she's dead. I'm sorry, man, but they won't stop until she's gone."

Fuck.

Bones glances at Zade who he hasn't talked to in years, "How many of them? Any idea? I've encountered a few through the years but never all at once."

He shrugs, "They may have increased in numbers so I'm not sure, but probably around fifteen. They've remained small because it's risky to add more people to the ranks. You never know who you can trust and they're lethal enough that they haven't needed more. But it's possible they've grown since I worked for them. They are highly skilled assassins. Bloody Valentine has been known to take out full rooms of armed guards. They are fast and efficient. Do not engage with them lightly."

Bones rubs his hands together with excitement, "Fifteen. That's a lot of bones to break."

Zade laughs, "Still the same vicious asshole, I see."

He shrugs, "Gotta live up to my name."